


Uselessly in Love

by BluestheCriminalWhirlwind



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Billy is a Cinnamon Bun, F/F, F/M, Female Tommy Oliver, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, Kim and Tommy are Bros, Light Angst, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mutual Pining, Semi-Slow Burn, Useless Lesbians, jason is a bi mess, kim is a bi mess, other rangers will appear, trini and zack are bros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:15:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28120722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluestheCriminalWhirlwind/pseuds/BluestheCriminalWhirlwind
Summary: Kim understood that what Trini did was an act of friendship but how could a simple gesture from the normally detached Yellow Ranger leave her so…enchanted with her?ORA simple act of ripping off a locker door starts Kim's journey into being hopelessly and uselessly in love with Trini Gomez.
Relationships: Billy Cranston/Jason Lee Scott, Kimberly Hart/Trini, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Tommy Oliver/Zack Taylor
Comments: 25
Kudos: 130





	1. A Mischevious Smile

Kimberly Hart laid upon her luxurious king-size bed, her hands tucked behind her head with shut eyes, the ambient sounds of rainfall soothing her nerves after a long day at school. It had been one month since their battle with Rita Repulsa and things had finally started to slow down.

The city was still in the process of rebuilding, Krispy Kreme was still destroyed, to her eternal grief, and while everyone was still buzzing with the fact that the Power Rangers had saved them from certain doom, talks about the rangers were starting to die down a little bit.

She enjoyed hearing the good that she and her friends did but it got tiring after the first week.

But with the good, came the bad and that was school had started and with school, came her continued punishment for what she did in the past.

And that is what led to her current predicament…

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Kim stood in front of her locker with a despondent expression on her face as she stared at the words written on her locker._

_Die Ugly Bitch._

_No one would care!_

_Traitor._

_Whore._

_Those were just some of the few…pleasant things that were written on her locker. Kim could only stare at it with a resigned look._

_She had earned this._

_This was her punishment for being who she was._

_And no matter how good her deeds were as a ranger; she would always be the girl that ruined her former’s friend’s life._

_Kim buried the pain she felt deep within her heart and opened the locker door but as she reached in, felt unbridled rage come from her right. Before she could say a word, however, her locker door was ripped off its hinges and when she did turn, she saw Trini._

_Despite the calm expression on Trini’s face, Kim could practically see the anger radiating off her along with being able to feel it through the bond their ranger coins gave them._

_And Kim…She felt touched by this._

_By how angry Trini had become on her behalf._

_Suddenly, the anger melted away from their bond and Trini motioned to the locker and with a bored tone, said to her, “Take your stuff out.”_

_Kim blinked as she stared at the expressionless face of Trini. “W-What?” she stammered, still shaken up by the suddenness of Trini’s arrival and defacing of her locker._

_“Take it,” Trini ordered._

_Despite the expressionless look, Kim could see that Trini’s eyes were focused solely on her and she felt her body heat up from the intensity of the stare. Kim turned and removed her leather jacket and book bag from her locker. Trini nodded in approval and as the two walked down the empty halls of their school, Kim’s eyes kept staring at the calm face of Trini._

_It was almost amazing how brazen Trini truly was._

_Trini's stride oozed confidence as the shorter teen walked of her like she had not just destroyed school property with the greatest of ease. Kim bit her lip and looked away briefly before she saw Trini glance at her briefly from out the corner of her eye._

_With a warm face, Kim glanced back at the girl, who looked ahead just as they were about to pass a room. Trini told her, “You don’t need a locker,” before she launched her locker door into the room, where the sounds of several items could be heard breaking._

_Kim’s mouth opened due to how shocked she was at the readiness Trini displayed in causing destruction but as the sounds of shattering glass continued, Kim looked at the shorter girl and found herself transfixed as an expression of mischievousness formed on Trini’s face._

_Kim had seen Trini smirk, scowl, or remain expressionless but this was the first time she showed something more than that and it made Kim feel flush._

_And while the thought was brief, Kim could not help but think how beautiful Trini was at that moment._

_Without another word, the duo ran down the hall to the school’s exit, their shared laugher echoing until they got outside. The two slowed to a stop a few feet away from the school and they began to laugh. Kim looked to Trini and told the smaller girl through her laughter, “You did not have to do that, you know?”_

_The Latina smirked, which caused a flutter in Kim’s stomach, and replied, “I know.” Kim could feel self-satisfaction ooze from Trini as she tucked her hands into her jacket and strolled off and all Kim could do was watch her leave, confused, and yet transfixed by her._

_She watched as Trini withdrew her right arm and gave her a lazy wave as she said, “See you at training,” before she slipped it back in her pocket and continued walking away._

_All without looking back._

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of thunder rumbled ahead as Kim placed a hand on her stomach, her mind unable to erase the playful grin of her teammate and friend.

Kim felt her body began to heat up at the memory as she let out a groan and covered her face with her pillow.

Why could she not get Trini Gomez out of her head?


	2. Thoughts of Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim finds a song that resonates with her and gets caught in the rain.

The rain continued to fall throughout the night and into the morning.

And Kim did not sleep a wink.

Thanks to her powers, she could thankfully go another day without rest but that did not mean that she wanted to lose another night of rest. But despite herself, she was unable to stop thinking about the holder of the saber-tooth tiger power coin.

She could not understand why!

Why was her mind so focused Trini?!

Kim heard the alarm on her phone go off and carefully, she turned off the alarm and rose from the bed.

She just had to take her mind off her and think about something else.

Easier said than done she was sure, but she had to try.

After a long, hot shower, Kim put on a simple pink short-sleeve top, black pants, her pink and black Nike sneakers, and took off to school.

Thankfully it was only sprinkling outside so she should be okay without an umbrella.

But as she made her way around the mountain in her car, the rain grew heavier as her favorite song ended on the radio. Kim was about to turn off the radio so she could better focus on the road, but the gentle keys of a piano caught her attention.

Such a soft, but sad melody.

_(I don't know how to quench this flame  
I'm uselessly in love with the light that she bore when she danced with me)_

Kim tried to focus on the road as the music played but found herself starting to focus on the lyrics.

_(A man so calloused he barely feels  
Why can't he love the elixir of hope that heals)_

"I so don't need to be listening to this," Kim said as she reached for the radio but stopped as the next lines of the song stared.

_(Doesn't a sapphire shine brighter beside a flame?)_

_Trini's face as she sat in front of the bonfire, with a beer in her hand, her eyes twinkling in delight as they looked at her._

_(I knew you were an angel when you told me your name)_

_"You know my name?" Trini asked her._

_Kimberly was flustered by the question, but mostly by the intense look, the smaller girl was giving her. "I'm…Sorry…" Kim apologized._

_Trini looked disappointed at this and it made Kim's heart crack at the sight. "It's Trini by the way…" Trini told her._

_(These incessant memories inside…my brain)_

_Kim peeked over the cliff after Jason jumped off then turned around and found herself staring into the eyes of Trini, who had an inquisitive look on her face._

_Their eyes locked in a moment and the small smile that was on Trini's face melted away as Kim felt herself blush from the closeness._

_(Your chaos is what's keeping me sane)_

_Trini let out a laugh as she placed the last piece of the Krispy Kreme donut they had fought over and into her mouth, and Kim found herself smiling, despite her defeat because It was the first time she had heard Trini laugh…_

_(But what can I give, but a broken past and awkward company?)_

_"I'm sorry…" Kim apologized, as she touched Trini's wet shoulder._

_Trini turned around sharply with a heated look, which made Kim shrink back. "You wanna kill me, right?"_

_Trini turned around. "I guess that's a yes….Okay, good talk," Kim whispered bashfully._

_(I'm not worthy, but they are  
And both of them love you as I do)_

Kim slowly lowered her hand from the radio then shook her head and muttered "I need to keep my eyes on the road…." and continued the drive, making sure she would not run over someone.

_(So I'll lock my heart in amber  
Knowing that I don't deserve to love her)_

And so, Kim drove, listening to this slow, gentle song and despite her earlier promise of taking her mind off Trini, she found her mind going back to her.

And back to the gaze that left her wanting.

 _"Oh, but doesn't a sapphire shine brighter beside a flame?"_ Kim found herself singing softly as she neared the school. _"I knew you were an angel when you told me your name….These incessant memories inside my brain…Your chaos is what's keeping me sane…"_ Kim paused to take a breath and finished singing with, _"Your chaos is what's keeping me sane…"_

Kim parked her car in the school's parking lot and placed her head against the steering wheel.

What the fuck was going on with her?

It was then she replayed the memories in her head and realized something.

Trini's eyes were always on her.

Always focused, always intense, even when they were laughing or joking, Trini's eyes always remained on her.

Kim was used to everyone's eyes being on her.

She was the Queen Bee of Angel Grove up until she fucked it all up, but the way Trini always looked at her was different.

It made her feel different.

Kim shut off the car and stepped out of her warm vehicle and out into the pouring rain. In her haste, she had totally forgotten to bring her umbrella and she was dumb enough to not have one in the car. So Kim sprinted from her car to the school, her top being soaked due to the heavy rainfall.

Kim stepped inside the school and shivered from the cold air hitting her. She then remembered that she had a towel in her locker but as she walked to her locker, she remembered that Trini had torn the locker door off and told her to grab her stuff.

And she grabbed everything from it.

"Fuck me…" Kim groaned out.

"Too earlier for that Kim," A familiar voice said, which caused a shiver to go down her spine. Kim turned around only to see a long green button-down camouflage jacket being held in front of her. "Take it," Trini told her as she waved the shirt in front of her.

Trini wore a black short-sleeved shirt with a yellow tiger on the front and green camouflage pants with boots.

Kim found the outfit simple but cute on Trini.

"How did you know I was here?" Kim asked.

"I saw you from my classroom running in the rain," Trini explained. "Be glad I was able to catch you before you went to class with a soaked top."

"T-Thank you but will this fit me?" Kim asked. "I am taller than you after all."

"Don't call me short," Trini immediately replied. "I mean it should. It might be a little short on you but it's better than having your top soaked and having every dickhead break their necks trying to see your bra, right?"

Kim flushed.

Once again, Trini looked out for her.

Kim stared down at the shirt in her hand and slipped it over her arms. She was immediately assaulted by the scent of vanilla that came from the shirt and let out a sigh of comfort at the warmth and the smell.

Kim felt a blush form on her face as she smiled to herself.

She looked up to see Trini transfixed by her but before she could say anything, Trini then looked at the clock on the wall and said "Shit, class is about to start. I'll see you at lunch, yeah?"

"Yeah…" Kim replied softly.

Trini gave her a grin and started to walk away but Kim suddenly asked "You wanna...Come over my place after school?"

Trini turned around, a look of surprise on her face, which inwardly made Kim grin.

She had taken Trini by surprise. 

She was only able to do that once so she was going to savor this look.

"As...Thanks, you know? For this?" Kim said as she tugged on the jacket she was wearing. 

"Y-You know what? Sure...I got nothing better to do," Trini replied and for a moment, Kim thought she saw a hint of a blush on the other girl's face. 

"Great...So um...See you at lunch," Kim said with a dorky little wave.

"Right...Lunch...See you then," Trini said before she turned around and walked away at a brisk pace. 

"I think I made her flustered..." Kim whispered, pleased at herself as she turned around and walked off to class, unable to wipe the smile from her face as she walked off to class with a bounce to her step, looking back periodically at Trini's retreating form.

And she walked to her current destination, Kim heard the line of the song she had listened to before entering her mind.

_"I'm uselessly in love…"_


	3. Saber-Tooth Wingman? Welcome to Kim's Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini plays wingman then hangs out with Kim at her house.

As Trini walked away from Kim, all she could do is sigh.

That girl was hopeless.

How in the world could she forget that it was going to rain for the rest of the week and not bring an umbrella?

Only Kimberly Hart could forget something as pivotal as that.

Despite this, Trini let a smile form on her face as she remembered the taller ranger in her jacket.

Kim had looked so cute in her jacket that it nearly robbed Trini of her words when Kim first put it on. It was something that Trini wished she could take a picture of, but at least she had the image in her memory.

Trini let out an aggravated sigh.

"You're not even trying to deny it anymore, are you?" Trini asked herself bitterly.

She arrived in her classroom and sat down in the back row beside Zack, who was currently napping with his head rested on his arms. Trini reached over and smacked his arm as she hissed, "Zack, wake up."

"Mastodon…" Zack mumbled sleepily.

Trini pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration before she smacked Zack harder in the arm, which caused him to whine out, "Okay, okay… I'm up…" She watched as Zack leaned up and yawned before he gave her an exhausted grin. "Hey, Crazy Girl. How long were you here?"

He then tilted his head. "And where is your jacket?"

"I gave it to Kim. She got caught out in the rain," Came Trini's aloof reply.

"Kim?" Zack questioned as he looked around. "She's not in this class, is she?"

"No," Trini sighed out. "I saw her out the window running into the school. She got caught in it. I gave her my jacket to keep her warm."

"Oh," Zack drawled out in realization. He then smirked at her and said, "So did she give you a reward?"

Trini rolled her eyes.

After the battle with Rita, she had made the painful mistake of telling Zack of her unwanted affections for Kim and, since then, he had been teasing her about it.

She did not mind the teasing truthfully. She teased Zack about the taste he had in girls that caught his eye, so it was fair that he did the same.

As long as he did not let it slip with Kim, she was cool with it.

"She just gave me a smile and left, that's all," Trini answered, keeping the fact Kim had invited her over a secret.

She had her limits in sharing, after all.

"That's all?" Zack asked, clearly displeased by the lack of information. "Damn…I was hoping she would have asked you out or something."

"For the last time, Zack, I doubt she swings that way. Besides. You know why I can't go for it, even if she did," Trini said, her tone becoming softer at the end.

She watched as understanding appeared in Zack's eyes as he said, "Yeah. But it would help if you did not let what happened in the past stop you from being happy."

Trini opened her mouth to speak before she closed it.

There was no sense in her continuing this conversation when it would only cause an argument between them.

Again.

Instead, she changed the subject and said, "You look exhausted."

"Mom had a health episode," Zack sighed out. "Spent all night making sure she was alright. By the time I went to sleep, I only had an hour before needing to come here."

"You should have stayed with Mama Taylor," Trini told him.

Trini had met Zack's mom a week after the (hopefully) final battle with Rita and felt that Zack's mom was what a mom should be.

Kind.

Caring.

Loving.

Nothing like her own mom.

Despite knowing that it made her a horrible person, she was envious of Zack's relationship with his mom.

"Is she doing okay?" Trini asked with concern.

"Yeah," Zack answered. "She asked about you, by the way. Wants to know when you'll be back."

"Whenever you invite you, you dweeb," Trini joked, which caused Zack to grin.

"Never if you keep that up," Zack jokingly replied before Trini saw his eyes trailed away from her and to the seat two seats ahead of her.

"Hey, look, she's here today," Zack said with a smile.

Trini looked at the desk in question and saw that it was filled today by the new kid.

Thomasina Oliver.

The newest girl on the "Zack Taylor's Infinite List of Pretty Girls," as Trini loathingly called it.

"Man, isn't she gorgeous?" Zack asked her as he nudged her arm.

Trini had seen her around.

She looked like a younger Maisie Richardson-Sellers from Legends of Tomorrow (her favorite show), and she was pretty attractive.

Zack had no chance.

But she would not tell him that.

"You know, it would do you some good in talking to her," Trini told him. "Instead of pining away for her forever….Or until she finds a boyfriend. Which she will because she's beautiful, and every guy, and girl, has been eyeing her down since she got here."

"Really?" Zack asked.

"Duh," Trini replied. "I have eyes, you know?"

"Hey, you keep watch on your pink bird and not the girl I'm currently scoping out," Zack joked.

"She's not my pink bird," Trini muttered, annoyed by the heat in her cheeks. "Besides, I'm serious. You want a shot with her. You need to talk to her."

She then smirked.

"Unless you're afraid to blow it," Trini prodded.

"Blow it? Me? Have you met me?" Zack asked as he pointed his index finger at himself.

"Unfortunately," Trini quipped but, the grin on her face would tell him she was saying this in jest.

Zack was pretty perceptive so, she knew he would catch on.

Thankfully, he did because he snorted and said, "You know you love me."

He winked, which caused her to roll her eyes.

"Like a heart attack," Trini retorted. "Now, you going to talk to her when school is over?"

"Yeah," Zack said with a grin but, Trini could see that he was nervous.

Trini let out a deep sigh.

"Would it help if I was there with you?" Trini asked.

"I mean, if you want to watch me hit a home run with that curly-haired beauty, you can," Zack replied.

Which meant "Yes."

"Oh, the things I do for my friends," Trini groaned out.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eight hours later, when school ended for the day, Trini and Zack met up near his locker, which was thankfully three lockers away from the object of his affections. The pair watched as Thomasina stood at her locker, putting some books away in it and pulling out her book bag. "Ready?" Trini asked as she and her best friend observed the girl.

"Always," Zack replied confidently.

"Just follow my lead," Trini told him as the two walked up to Thomasina, who just closed her locker when she spotted them and grinned.

"Hey Thomasina," Trini said with a wave.

"Whoa, hey, Tommy, please…I hate that name," Thomasina, or Tommy, replied immediately. "It sounds like the name of a restaurant."

"I feel the same way about my full name," Trini said with a grin. "My name is Trini Gomez, and this is my friend, Zack Taylor," Trini introduced as she nudged Zack.

"Yeah, that's me," Zack said with a grin.

Tommy leaned against the locker and said, "Tommy Oliver. Nice to meet you guys." She then grinned and asked, "You two the welcoming committee for Angel Grove High?"

"You can say that," Zack said with a grin of his own. "Figured that since it was your second day here, we would introduce ourselves, so you have someone to talk to other than teachers."

"A day late but still really sweet," Tommy said with a cheeky tone before she frowned. "It's been lonely here so far. I went to like three different people for directions to class, which is why I wound up late to one of my classes yesterday. It is not friendly for new people."

"You aren't kidding," Trini said. "I've been here for a month, and barring Zack and three of my other friends, of course, it's very unfriendly here."

"Yeah. It's a frigid place, that's for sure," Tommy said.

"Well, good thing Zack and I showed up to warm the perception of this place a bit," Trini said with a faint smile. "Why don't we show you around the place, so you know the ends and outs."

"That would be great, actually," Tommy said. "Thank you both."

"No, biggie," Zack said.

She felt her phone ring in her pocket, and when she pulled it out, it was a text from Kim.

Kim: I'm outside and close to the school's side entrance, so you don't get too wet.

Kim was a lot more prompted than she thought.

"Shit. Um, Zack, I forgot I was supposed to meet my mom for something. I have to jet," Trini said apologetically.

"Aw shit," Zack sighed out. "You sure, dude?"

"Yeah," Trini confirmed. "I'm sorry Tommy, but hey, you got Zack showing you around, and he showed me around the place when I first got here. You're in good hands," Trini said.

"Hey, it no problem at all, really," Tommy said with an easy-going smile. "Catch you next time then?"

"Of course. You two have fun," Trini said as she immediately walked off, looking back once to see Tommy and Zack still talking before they began to walk off.

Trini made her way to her locker to grab her umbrella, walked to the side entrance, and opened it. She could see Kim's car parked on the side of the sidewalk and strolled to it. She closed her umbrella, got into the passenger door, and said, "The rain is coming down hard."

"Good thing we're heading straight to my place then," Kim said with a friendly smile as she pulled away from the school to start the trek to Kim's place. "Hey, so what was going on with you and Zack at lunch today? You two huddled together the entire time."

"We were trying to plan out his thing with the new girl," Trini said dryly. "He was too proud to admit he wanted me to wingman, so we had a plan. It was going well until you texted me. Now he's on his own."

"Lord, help him," Kim joked softly. "I'm sorry for ruining your plans with him."

"Don't stress it, seriously. I'd rather be with you any day," Trini told her, only to nearly smack her forehead.

She did not mean to let that slip. "I mean, compared to being subjected to Zack's lame flirting," Trini quickly added.

She could see a broad smile playing on Kim's lips as she said, "Glad I could save you from that then."

And once again, despite herself, Trini smiled.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After thirty minutes of driving, Kim turned to the right in front of a large, white square-shaped house. Despite the rain, Trini could see a faint blue glow coming from the side of the house, and it made her curious as to what it was.

Kim pressed a button on the car console, and the large, sheer white garage door lifted to allow her car inside. Kim parked the car, and the two stepped out inside the garage, which had a pale blue light shining above them. "Come on, I'll show you around," Kim said as she ran around her car, past her, and to the door that leads inside the house.

"Show me around? I'm sure it won't be much," Trini said.

Kim looked at her with a grin. "You won't be saying that once you see it." She winked, which caused a flutter of feelings to fly in Trini's stomach before Kim opened the door for her. "After you," Kim said. Trini walked inside and was shocked.

The place was vast and very high tech.

Trini noticed that the handrails leading upstairs had LED lights at the bottom of them, which caused a light blue glow to emanate from them, while the side of the stairs was painted blue.

On the right of the stairs was an open door which revealed a half bathroom, which had the weirdest looking blue skin and chandelier she had ever seen in her life.

She could see the living room from her vantage point, which revealed that the chairs were blue in color and leather with the table itself was polished white wood with a very expensive looking chandelier above the table.

She also noticed a glow coming from beside them.

"This here is a Micro-Mansion," Kim announced as she strolled past her while taking her hand. "Looks small on the outside but big on the inside. Come on, follow me."

Trini let Kim led her into the living room, which had a broad, crescent moon shaped sofa that was bright white with blue pillows, and on the blue wall was a fish tank with dozens of fish in there, which also had an LED light that made a blue glow.

"This is the living room. Pretty standard stuff," Kim said as she pulled Trini along to the dining room/kitchen.

"Is your kitchen counters glowing?" Trini asked as she watched the color go from aqua-blue to magenta.

"Yeah, apparently thousands of pieces of sea glass were harvested from beaches around the world, melted down, and placed to look like the undulating sea bottom or something like that," Kim said quickly. "The guy who built this place went on and on, and my parents adored that shit."

"Fancy," Trini said.

"Yeah, well, let's keep the tour going," Kim said as Trini followed her to glass patio doors on the side of the house where Trini could see two small couches on a deck in front of a square fireplace that sat within a blue and white brick wall and on each side were huge pools.

"If you look to the left, you can see a little with a small couch with a covering around it on its landing," Kim told her.

"Jeez, this place is huge…" Trini said, astounded by this place.

She knew Kim was rich but so far, this place proved it, and she was only downstairs. Kim then led her upstairs.

Once they made it upstairs, Kim pointed to the far end double-wide doors and said, "That's my parent's room down the hall, and this room to the left is just a guest bedroom, and this one is mine to the right." Trini followed Kim to her bedroom, which was a modest room.

She had a king-sized bed, a full bathroom, a loft, and a balcony, which overlooked the street. "The guest room looks similar to this one. It just lacks the loft and the balcony," Kim explained. "The guy who made this place just finished it last week, and we just moved into it from our previous home. The basement is even more impressive."

"Yeah. This place is pretty cool," Trini said genuinely.

"Thanks. You're the first person outside of my family and me to see it," Kim said with a smile.

"No way, I am?" Trini asked.

Kim nodded. "Yeah…No one else...I wanted you to be the first," Kim said bashfully.

"Wow…I'm touched…. Thank you," Trini replied softly.

"If you ever want to hang out over here, just let me know. It's just me here so my parents won't mind," Kim said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Hey, with how often I run off to Zack's when my mom and I get into it, I'll take you up on that," Trini joked instantly.

"Awesome. I mean, not awesome for that reason, but awesome that you would want to come over again," Kim said with a flustered expression.

Trini smiled. "Well, now that I've shown you around, let's get something to eat. I am starving," Kim said quickly as Trini watched the blush on her face deepen.

"Ditto," Trini agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided that every two (or three) chapters, I will have it follow Trini but the majority of the story will be in Kim's POV. The next chapter will be all fluff and a tinge of angst and Kim's Bi awakening so until then!


	4. A Cold Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim finds herself shaken from a realization in the middle of a storm.

"So, why are we watching this again?" Trini asked.

Kim looked over to Trini as the two sat in her house's basement, which had a built-in theater and two rows of plush, dark-blue lazy-boy chairs. "Because you were curious about the show I've been binge-watching. I figured you'd want to see the beginning before I jumped you into where I was," Kim responded with a smile.

The reason the two had come down was that throughout dinner, Kim had been raving to Trini about her current favorite television show, Wynonna Earp. The premise was simple. Wynonna Earp, a descendant of the famous Old West lawman Wyatt Earp, must defend her town named "Purgatory" from revenants killed by her ancestor's gun and then rose as undead.

Despite Trini's disinterested expression, Kim knew she had the girl hooked by the premise alone, so she dragged her downstairs to watch.

She was in the middle of the second season, but she was more than happy to restart it for Trini, and as much as Trini tried to feign boredom, Kim could see that she was also enjoying the show. "Oh, here comes my scene and favorite character," Kim nudged Trini as the scene started on a long-haired, 5'7 ft brunette woman in the middle of an empty bar, being hosed down by a single beer tap, dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans.

_"Jesus! Argh!"_ the woman shrieked as she hit the beer tap to stop the liquid from drenching her further.

Kim saw Trini smirk in amusement out of the corner of her eyes. "Waverly Earp? You Harped on her in the first episode for being a bitch to her sister. She's your favorite?" Trini asked.

"Wow, that pun was horrendous," Kim instantly replied, smothering the smile that wanted to form on her face. "And no, I don't like Waverly all that much. At least in the first season. But my favorite character is coming up."

_"I didn't know Shorty's had wet t-shirt competitions."_

Kim watched as the camera panned over to a 5'9, brown-eyed, woman wearing a cowboy hat and a sheriff's uniform consisting of a dark blue shirt and tan pants to Kim's now embarrassment, filled the woman in the right places.

_The woman leaned against the doorway of the bar, a teasing grin on her face, which revealed her dimples._

"Oh," Trini said with a knowing grin, unknowingly showing off her dimple, something that made Kim swallow nervously. "I'm guessing this is your favorite character?" Trini asked teasingly.

"Yeah," Kim said a bit breathlessly.

_"You okay?" the woman asked as Waverly Earp gave a sheepish laugh._

_"Yeah. Yeah. I, uh... Just a bit jumpy. Had a... a crazy night," Waverly answered as she dried her shirt off with a towel while the woman approached the other side of the bar counter, her cowboy hat removed to reveal her braided red hair._

_"Sorry I wasn't there to see it," the woman quipped as her grin became more pronounced, which caused Waverly to flush._

Kim suddenly found herself flushing due to seeing Trini's confident grin instead of the woman's for a split second.

_"I've been, uh... I've been meaning to introduce myself. I'm Nicole. Nicole Haught," the newly introduced Nicole said as she held out a hand to Waverly, who shook it shyly._

_"Hi," Waverly replied._

_"And you are Waverly Earp," Nicole told her as they pulled back their hands. "Quite a popular girl around here."_

_"Yes," Waverly replied, clearly bashful at the sight of the other woman. "Oh, you know, it's all in the smile and wave," Waverly replied as she lifted her hand and gave a sheepish wave._

"Wow, this seems familiar," Kim heard Trini whisper as Kim watched Waverly and Nicole stare at one another.

There was an attraction between the two women that Kim and not noticed before but now, she felt herself catching it.

Was her meeting with Trini filled with this crackling air of tension?

Kim shook her head.

No, that could not be it.

But as she stared, Nicole held the same intense gaze at Waverly that Trini often gave her, and it made Kim squirm.

_"Can I get a cappuccino to go?" Nicole asked, breaking off the stare with a carefree smile as she sat down on the stool beside her._

_"Oh, I'm really sorry. Um, we're not actually open yet, so..." Waverly answered as she motioned around the empty bar._

_"Oh! Right! Again, my bad," Nicole said with a laugh, which Waverly joined in on before that intense gaze appeared on Nicole's face. "It's just when I see something I like; I don't want to wait," Nicole said._

"Smooth," Kim heard Trini whisper before she felt Trini nudge her side. "I can see why you like her. I think I do too."

Kim offered a nervous laugh as she looked back at the screen to focus, her legs pressing together.

Kim agreed with her friend that Nicole was pretty smooth, but what terrified Kim the most was that she could imagine Trini saying those same words.

And she could imagine her face burning hot just like Waverly's was.

_"And your door was open so..." Nicole drifted off as she pointed back to the door._

_Waverly's face was beet-red, but the blush faded as Waverly sheepishly said, "Right." She then patted the white towel on her wet shirt and said, "God... Oh, God, I'm sopping wet."_

Both Trini and Nicole laughed in unison while Kim found herself mortified at the phrasing, alongside Waverly.

This was hitting a little too close to home for Kim?

She was not this uncomfortable when she first watched this so why was she now?

_"You know, I keep telling Shorty he needs to fix the darn taps," Waverly told Nicole quickly, trying to wave off her embarrassment. "Sorry, do you mind just, uh...?" Waverly paused to motion for the sheriff to close her eyes._

_Nicole turned around as the blushing brunette turned around, unsure of what to do. The woman then lifted her shirt over her head to take off the shirt to try and wring out the water to make it bearable. Unfortunately, she failed to unbutton the two buttons at the top of her shirt, which caused her to get stuck._

"Wow, that reminds me so much of you right now, Princess, I'm stunned," Trini joked.

Kim let out a nervous laugh, unable to shake off the thought that she would have done this exact thing when she got to school earlier that day had Trini not shown up. Hopefully, she would not have done it in front of Trini or got her head stuck.

But with her bad luck, this would have happened.

_"Oh! Oh, crap! Um... Uh, uh, officer, I'm stuck, so, please..." Waverly said pathetically with her hands at her shirt._

_Nicole turned around and chuckled as she said, "Oh yeah, let me help you."_

_Nicole rushed over to the helpless woman and helped pull off her shirt while she whispered, "I got you."_

Kim watched the shirt came off while Waverly said, _"Oh. Oh, God! Good job, you're not some guy, right, or this would be really, really…"_ Kim continued to watch with red cheeks as she noticed the intense gaze Nicole had on her face.

Which once again, reminded her of Trini's.

_"Awkward..." Waverly finished as she pressed her wet shirt against her chest as they stared at one another._

Kim did not know why, but she felt exposed watching this.

But she should not have felt that way.

_"Uh... Um... I-I owe you one," Waverly told the sheriff with a nervous stammer._

_"Alright, well, how about you buy me that cup of coffee?" Nicole suggested with a sly grin. "How about tonight?"_

"She is good. I kind of wish this character was real so I could get some pointers," Trini commented to Kim, who let out a small laugh.

"Trust me when I say that you don't need pointers," Kim whispered only to cover her mouth in shock.

She was not trying to say that.

Why did she say that?

What the fuck was going on with her?!

_"Oh, I can't," Waverly said before she shook her head and quickly stammered out, "No. I mean, I'd love to, but... like, like to, uh... but I have plans. Yeah. I'm a planner. I like to know what I'm doing at least two or three days in advance."_

Nicole shot her an amused look, which made Kim even more painfully aware of how Trini-like this woman's expressions were.

She was losing her mind.

_"I'm... I'm in a relationship with a boy. Man," Waverly finished as Nicole chuckled._

_"A Boy-man?" Nicole replied as Waverly flushed and looked away from the taller woman. "Yep, I've been there," Nicole said as she strolled away from Waverly and moved back around the counter to grab her hat, all while Waverly's eyes watched her._

_"It's the worst," Nicole told Waverly cheekily with a small grin as she shrugged. "Okay, well, some other time," Nicole chirped while sat down her business card and began to turn away._

_Waverly watched with blushing cheeks as Nicole looked back with a broad grin. "I mean it," Nicole told her as she turned forward and strolled off while putting on her cowboy hat._

"Whew, she has game," Kim heard Trini tell her, clearly impressed while Kim was thankful that Trini was too enraptured by the scene. Kim, on the other hand, could not even look at Trini due to her flustered state.

"I'll be back," Kim said hurriedly.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim splashed some water on her face as she stared at herself in the mirror.

Why was she being so fucking weird about this?

That scene was not as awkward as it was before, and yet Kim was struggling throughout it. Was it because it was a charged scene between two women that were deeply attracted to one another?

Was it because she was watching it with Trini?

Or was it because Nicole reminded her of Trini?

Before Kim could think further on it, the power suddenly went out, which caused her to shriek in alarm, along with feeling a burst of panic through her link from Trini.

"Hang on; I'm coming!" Kim shouted as she whipped out her phone and turned on the flashlight as she stepped out of the basement bathroom and made her way back into the theater room. Just as she turned a corner, a flash of yellow appeared, and she quickly ducked the swing of the Yellow Ranger.

"Relax, Trini, it's me," Kim said as she held up her hands.

The ranger immediately turned back to a shaken Trini.

"Fuck, you scared me," Trini commented as her eyes darted around nervously.

Seeing the fear on Trini's face, Kim rushed up to her and took her hand to calm her friend down. Thankfully, Trini gripped her hand tightly. "Hey, it's alright. The power went out," Kim explained. "The backup generators should be up in a moment."

"You sure?" Trini asked her.

Kim could feel the apprehension and fear from Trini through their link, and it made Kim's heart lurch against her chest. But as promised, the backup generators started, and the basement lit up once again, which gave Kim a chance to see how scared Trini was.

"See?" Kim said with a small grin as the fear began to subside from Trini.

"Yeah…" Trini said softly.

"It must have been the storm that knocked out power…" Kim said.

"Shit…" Trini said as her features began to become aloof once again. "Let's head upstairs," Trini told her.

Kim nodded and led Trini up the stairs, and when she did, the glass windows revealed how harsh the storm was outside. "There is no way you're going home in that," Kim told Trini, who nodded in agreement as the duo watched the trees sway violently outside of the house.

"Well, hopefully, my mom will understand why I will not be going home tonight," Trini sighed out as she pulled out her phone and texted, who Kim assumed, was her mother before she put her phone in her pocket and yawned.

"We'll have to finish that episode tomorrow. I'm starting to tolerate that show," Trini said with a faint grin that made Kim smile.

"Oh please, I know you enjoyed it," Kim joked with a broad smile before she said, "Come on, let's head upstairs. I'll get you set up in our guest room," Kim told Trini as she tugged Trini up the stairs after Trini grabbed her bag.

Once they got to the second floor, Kim led Trini to her room and said, "Let me grab you some overnight clothes." Kim let go of Trini's hand and immediately felt the two things.

The first thing she felt was how perfect Trini's hands fit in hers.

And the second thing she felt was how empty her hand now felt.

Kim shook that off and walked to her closet to pull out a long black t-shirt with "DANGEROUS VIBES" written on it in bold, pink, and white lettering.

The shirt had once belonged to her dad before it wound up "Missing" from his cabinet and became her sleepwear until tonight. She turned back to Trini, who put her phone back into her pocket. "Mom hates it but gave me her blessing. I'm staying the night," Trini said with a thumbs-up.

Kim did not know why, but hearing those words bought on both delight and terror.

"Well, good thing I found this," Kim told jer as she tossed the shirt to Trini. "This may be oversized on you since you're a tiger cub, but I think it should work."

Trini caught it and said, "Thanks. Also, I'm not short. You're just freakishly tall, Princess."

"Sure, sure," Kim joked before she walked over to Trini and grabbed her hand once again, and said, "Come on." Kim led Trini to the guest room and opened the door, and told her, "There is a bathroom in here with some new shampoo and soap and anything else you might need. My parents kept this room stocked just in case we had any guests."

"Nice thinking ahead," Trini said dryly. "A damn lovely room too. Better than I have currently, thanks to Rita."

Kim caught the bitter tone in Trini's voice and felt a small growl leave her lips. When Trini had told the team about her meeting with Rita, Kim had felt this unnatural rage build in her chest. Even after her defeat, Kim could not help but feel anger at her.

No one had the right to touch Trini that way, especially that wretched witch!

Kim blinked at the possessiveness she felt at that moment.

What the hell was that?

"Whoa, a lot of rage in your cage Kim," Trini suddenly said, which caused Kim to blink and look down at her amused face. "Want to talk about it?" Trini asked.

Kim flushed and scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. "A-Ah, it's nothing major," Kim told her with a nervous laugh. "Just something that made me mad."

"That mad?" Trini asked with a raised eyebrow before she turned away and sat her book-bag on the floor. "I have not felt that much anger since I told you and the other dorks about Rita," Trini commentated as she strolled over to the bathroom with her large shirt.

Kim was glad that Trini had left the room because she silently cursed. "Fuck me, I need to calm down," She whispered as she narrowed her eyes.

At least Trini did not feel that spike of possessiveness.

Or if she did, at least she did not comment on it.

The bathroom door opened as Trini stepped out, only for Kim to take one look at her blush heavily.

As Kim had thought, the shirt was oversized, but she had no idea that it would look so big on Trini's shorter frame.

The end of the black t-shirt went down to just above Trini's knees, which gave Kim a chance to see her a sliver of her thighs, and the shirt's collar slid down her right shoulder, which revealed her bra-strap and shoulder.

Add in Trini's long hair and a wry grin, Kim felt the butterflies in her stomach exploded into chaos. "Man, You were not kidding," Trini said with a grin as she put her hands on her hips, which made her hourglass figure more pronounced, and swayed back and forth slightly.

It was there that Kim realized that Trini's slightly baggy clothes were not doing her body justice. "This thing is huge on me," Trini said, almost teasingly to Kim's ears. "More like a dress than a shirt."

Kim watched as Trini fell on the bed, careful not to have the shirt reveal anything beneath, and said, "Thanks, though. There was no way I was going to go to be in my regular clothes all night."

Kim did not say anything.

All she could do is stare at Trini as the shirt slid down to reveal more of her right thigh.

And then she felt this familiar feeling rising from the pit of her stomach.

"Hey Kim, you're creeping me out with the silence and that stare. Cat got your tongue or something?" Trini asked curiously.

Kim snapped back into the land of the living and quickly turned around. "Uh…" she squeaked out. "Um, I'm going to go take a shower."

Before Trini could say a word, Kim bolted out of the room as fast as she could.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim stood in the shower for what felt like an eternity.

The water fell down her body as her forehead pressed against the blue-white tiled wall as she panted. Despite the cold water, her body still felt hot like an inferno.

Back when she was the popular Queen Bee at Angel Grove and dating that asshole, Amanda once gave her advice to wear her ex's clothes, like his hoodie or shirt. She said it always drove boys wild when they saw their girls wearing their clothing.

And Kim did not understand why until the very moment Trini came out of that bathroom.

This girl that has been on Kim's mind since yesterday was now in her guest bedroom, in her shirt and looking painfully attractive in it.

And it had aroused her.

Shock ran through Kim's body at the admission.

"What the fuck?" Kim breathed out as her body trembled.

"There's no way…" Kim thought.

Trini could not have aroused her.

Trini was her friend. Her first friend since she had betrayed Amanda and got booted out of her old friend group. She could not be attracted to Trini; she couldn't.

And yet, her body burned at the thought of her shorter friend.

Her smirk.

Her dry humor.

Her dimples.

Her smile.

Her laugh.

Her eyes.

Her confidence.

Her protective streak.

Her body.

Her gaze.

Kim could see Trini's intense gaze in her mind, and it made her body heat up as she bit her bottom lip, her left fingers digging into the style she struggled to keep her emotions at bay.

She could not be attracted to Trini Gomez.

She could not!

And yet, as she stood there, the cold water pouring down her body, she let her mind wander.

And it wandered to the image of Trini pinning Kim on her bed. Trini's bare legs on the side of Kim's body as the girl stared down at her with her trademark smirk, her intense gaze focused on her.

_"You didn't know my name when we met…"_ She heard the Trini in her mind whisper. The image in her mind showed Trini leaning down to bite her neck, eliciting a gasp from her inner self.

_"I'm yours,"_ She could hear herself moan out with need. _"Please…"_

_"Now I'll get to hear you scream it…"_ She heard Trini whisper in her head. Kim's body began to ache as her right hand gripped at her stomach, struggling not to go any lower as she let out a whimper of "Trini…"

That whimper snapped her out of it.

It did not even sound like her. It sounded weak and wanting.

"Oh fuck," Kim whispered shakily.

She wanted Trini Gomez.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I originally found myself trying to go for a more softer realization but my mind started to go into other places. Funny enough, A friend proof-read this and said this was exactly how she realized she was a lesbian so figured this sort of awakening may work for where I want the story to go.
> 
> The next chapter will have be I think the soft side of this awakening so until then!


	5. Thoughts of a Ranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her shocking realization, Kim finds herself thinking of what could have led to her feelings for Trini.

How?

That was the single question on Kim's mind as she laid there in her bed. It had been three hours since her startling realization about her friend, who was sleeping across the hall, and Kim was unable to shake it from her mind.

She wanted Trini Gomez.

But she shouldn't want Trini.

She liked boys.

She had dated many boys. Hell, she even had a small crush on Jason when they first met.

But all those other boys wanted her for bragging rights, and who wouldn't? Before she fucked it all up, Kimberly Hart was the rich, beautiful, Queen Bee of Angel Grove.

Anyone would kill to have her.

But Trini was not like that.

While she never knew Trini's name before becoming a ranger, Kim had seen her around before.

Back in her Queen Bee phase, Kim took stock of the students who kneeled to her and those that were her enemies.

She had to see who would be a loyal ally to her and who would betray her if she let them too close but, Trini always seemed to skirt past her anytime the shorter girl appeared on her radar.

But one day, she bumped into Trini.

Kim had railed at her to apologize, but Trini did not turn away or look scared at the confrontation.

There was no apology.

No sarcastic remark.

Not even a smirk.

Nothing.

Instead, Trini stared through her, as if Kim was glass, and gave her an aloof smile before she walked away.

Back then, Kim played it off in front of her friends and made fun of the weird girl out of earshot, but Kim never forgot Trini's indifference to her existence that day.

Nor did Kim forget how much it bothered her.

Why did this girl did not fawn over her as everyone else did?

After that first meeting, Kim remembered how she would actively search for Trini when in a crowded hall or the lunchroom.

Most of the time, she was unsuccessful in finding her.

But in those successful moments where Kim would find Trini and their eyes would lock, Trini would not shy away from the stare. Instead, Trini would stare back and give her that same aloof smile before she would break the gaze and look elsewhere.

And that was how far Kim's knowledge of Trini went back then. Just moments of indifference, gazes, and empty smiles.

Kim truly did not understand.

She had it all!

And yet this new kid, this nobody, refused to acknowledge her. She refused to accept her. She refused to see her.

Why did Trini's indifference to her plague her so much?

Did Trini not know what that was like to stand in front of someone and look at them but not see them?

After a week of this plaguing her mind, Kim decided to watch her as closely as possible, and what occurred after two days of watching this unknown girl was something surprising.

Trini was like this towards everyone, not just her.

Trini was treating her like she did everyone else.

Kim was strangely annoyed but satisfied with this development and decided to live with this one person, not bowing to her. After Kim cleared that up, her thoughts of the weird girl faded away, and she moved on with her life of prosperity until her downfall occurred.

In her ultimate moment of spitefulness, Kim fucked up, and it caused a massive scandal that nearly got her kicked out of school and almost had charges filed against her.

Her parents thankfully stopped that from occurring with their lawyers, but now, Kim was truly alone.

Kim had become an exiled queen among her angry subjects.

And it terrified her.

But then, hope came to her the night she and her friends found the power coins. While Billy and Zack were friendly, Jason was cordial, and Trini was as aloof as ever. But unlike before, where Kim was confused by Trini's aloofness towards her, she bitterly accepted it this time.

She was just another person that wanted nothing to do with her.

But on the cliff that day, Trini finally acknowledged her.

Kim had been ignored and unwanted by virtually everyone at school for what felt like an eternity, but it was then that Trini finally saw her.

Sure, it was to tell her that she wanted nothing to do with these powers and was disappointed that Kim did not know her name, but she had caught Trini's attention all the same.

And it made Kim want more.

But at the time, she did not understand why she wanted more of it.

But now, she understood why.

She was the first person in not only their friend group but the entire school to break through the aloof wall that Trini had put up.

She was the first person that Trini acknowledged.

Even now, Kim knew that Trini was distant with Jason, Billy, and Somewhat with Zack. But when it was the two of them, she saw more of the Trini that hid behind the wall.

Kim saw Trini's protective nature, dry humor, confidence, loyalty, playfulness, and, as much as Trini would deny it, her kindness.

Trini had allowed her to see a side of her that the others hadn't seen before.

Kim knew that if Zack, Jason, or even Billy were being bullied, Trini wouldn't have ripped a locker door off for them or given them her clothes to keep her dry.

Well, if Billy were being bullied, Jason would have stepped up immediately to defend him, like he had that day in detention.

But the point still stood. Trini would not have shown that side of her to them.

But she did to her.

In Kim's eyes, Trini chose her to see behind the aloof mask and see her true self.

And it left Kim wanting.

But she shouldn't want this, right?

Trini was a girl.

Just like she was.

She should not be lying in bed, thinking of her friend in this manner. What would her parents say if they saw she had these thoughts about another girl? They would lose their damned minds, that's what.

But would that even matter since they were not around?

But what would the school think? While Kim knew that there were no homophobic people at their school (As far as she knew), they had a deep hatred for her due to her former status as Queen Bee and a bitch.

And if the student body saw her and Trini together, they would target Trini because of her. And while Kim knew that Trini could protect herself, she still did not want to drag Trini down with her nonsense.

Would their friends still accept them?

Would Trini's parents if they ever found out?

Kim suddenly realized something. She was thinking as if she would tell Trini of these newfound feelings and that they were going to be together.

She had no idea if Trini even would entertain that thought, despite how close they've become since her days as the "Head Bitch of Angel Grove."

Then again, she had no idea if Trini even swung that way.

Hell, Kim had no idea if she swung that way herself!

Kim let out a deep sigh before her eyes landed on the jacket that Trini had given her, which hung on the closet doorknob.

A soft expression appeared on Kim's face as she reached out, grabbed the shirt, and buried her face in it to inhale Trini's scent. Kim did not know if she was a lesbian or Bi or whatever, but these feelings she had for Trini weren't that of friendship.

And while Kim knew that she could not share her feelings with Trini due to not fully understanding them herself, she could at least still have her scent carry her into slumber.

And for now, that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I had some amazing writer's block but the next chapter will be longer. Thanks for reading.


	6. I Won’t Say I’m in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trini finds herself thinking about her beautiful teammate in the middle of the night

If there's a prize for rotten judgment, Trini had already won it.

No girl was worth this aggravation Trini was feeling, yet she couldn't stop thinking about Kimberly Hart.

The other girl had run off hours ago, but Trini could sense that the girl was panicked about something through their ranger bond.

But Trini had to admit it, the girl was flustered about something, and it made for a pretty sight.

Trini groaned as she put a pillow over her face.

No.

She had been down this road before. Her heart had learned this lesson before she moved to this place. And yet, she was treading the ground of a girl in-

No.

She could not finish that word.

She left that word in Texas with _her_.

To Trini, that word was ancient history.

Kimberly is a tall, devastatingly beautiful girl that had the entire school eating out of the palm of her hand.

Trini certainly had a type.

After the hell she endured in Texas, Trini had gone to Angel Grove High with a purpose to keep a low profile. And despite having done this song and dance before, the moment her eyes met Kimberly's, Trini felt as if she hit the ceiling.

But Trini had crafted her mask well after all she endured, so she kept hidden, vowing to stay away from her.

But then she fucked up.

She was having a bad day when she finally found herself in front of the then-Queen Bee. She remembered the stunned expression on Kimberly's face before the mask of the bitch appeared.

The old Trini would have begged the Queen Bee for forgiveness, but after what she endured in Texas for bowing to the popular girl, her heart had learned its lesson. So, she stared at Kimberly in the eyes, smiled at her, and walked away.

She knew from that moment that she had indeed changed from the meek, helpless girl she was in Texas. She then went on to not think about the Queen Bee again. Sure they would exchange glances every once in a while, but she would give her that same smile and then go on about her day.

And then the Queen Bee fucked up, and then it all changed.

Kimberly Hart went from popular to despised.

It was almost laughably pathetic at how lost Kimberly looked without everyone's adoration, but something made Trini feel bad for her.

But she quickly got a grip.

There was no way she was going to allow herself to feel for this girl. She had been there before, and sure it would feel good at the start to get to know the girl, but unless she wanted to cry her heart out again, Trini refused to entertain the thought.

So, once again, Trini closed off her heart to the lost looking Hart and walked away.

But fate had other plans for her.

And it was fate that led her and her group of friends to the Power Coins.

She remembered how much she hated what had happened to her and struggled to get rid of it, but it always came back.

She tried throwing it, hiding it, burying it, but it always returned. And on the day she tried to get rid of the Power Coin, she somehow found herself standing on the cliff with the exiled Queen of Angel Grove High.

The idiotic future leader had leaped off the cliff, and while Trini peaked over to see if he was okay, she suddenly found herself painfully away that her eyes fell on Kimberly's body.

It was almost sinful how good the short-haired girl looked. And when she turned around with her wide smile and sparkling eyes, she had nearly swooned.

But she bit it back.

There was no way she was going to allow this Meet-cute scene to play. Trini had tried to discourage both herself and Kimberly from continuing to talk, but Kimberly, the idiot, was so endearing that Trini could not help but admire how hard she was trying to stay.

But Kimberly was crafty, and it was that craftiness that led to Kimberly grabbing her and taking them both down into the water below.

And despite how pissed Trini was after being tricked, she couldn't stop herself from cracking a small smirk at Kimberly's eagerness as she tried to apologize.

It was then Trini knew that there was a crack in her aloof mask.

After that day, no matter how hard Trini had tried to keep Kimberly away, the other girl continued to push her way into her heart. It sickened her how her stomach flipped when Kimberly smiled at her during the bonfire or when the taller girl playfully wagged her finger at her at Krispy Kreme's.

It was only after Rita's battle where Trini realized that her heart had NOT learned its lesson. She was repeating the same mistakes.

And yet, there was a difference.

Kimberly had nothing to gain in being her friend.

Kimberly wasn't toying with her heart, nor was she treated as a pawn in some sick game. The tall, earnest, breathtakingly beautiful girl was trying to be a real friend to her. Trini soon found herself helping Kimberly out of her desire to help versus being guilt-tripped into it.

And no matter what happened, Kimberly would always give her a warm, bashful smile as thanks.

Trini eventually found out that Kimberly only gave this smile to her, and it made Trini want to move the earth and heavens so that Kimberly could always smile at her like this for the rest of their lives.

But when she realized this, Trini panicked.

She couldn't be going through this again.

So, to her eternal regret, Trini went to Zack, and at eight at night, the second Zack had opened his door, Trini spilled it to him.

_"I think I have a crush on Kimberly."_

Poor Zack never had it coming.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Whoa, whoa, Crazy Girl," Zack said as he held out both hands to stop her from talking. "Let's go out to the junkyard to talk."_

_Once they got to the junkyard, Trini spilled all that she could to Zack, whose eyes grew with every word she said._

_Finally, a panting Trini said, "I don't know what to do…."_

_"Okay," Zack murmured, clearly overwhelmed. "You sure this is just a crush? I mean, wanting to move heaven and earth to see her smile tells me that this is more than just a tiny crush."_

_Trini blinked in confusion._

_What the hell did Zack mean?_

_"I mean, a crush doesn't deserve such a grand gesture, y'know?" Zack told her._

_"But that's how I feel," Trini said._

_"Do you feel that way for all crushes?" Zack asked. "I mean, when I had that small crush on you back when we met, I did not think like that. I just thought, "Man, Crazy girl is hella cute. I should ask her out if she is single." I did not think, "I will fight fucking Kratos himself just for her to look my way," At any turn."_

_"Oh, so I'm not worth fighting Kratos for?" Trini joked, which made Zack laugh._

_"Hell no," Zack confirmed. "But I'm serious. Did you feel this way with any other crushes?"_

_Trini thought back before she admitted, "Just one but that wasn't a crush. That was me being head over heels in love with….."_

_Trini's eyes widened in horror._

_"No…." She groaned out. "No fucking way. I am not in love with Kimberly Hart."_

_"Face it like a grown-up and just own up to it," Zack said with a grin on his face. "You've got it bad for our Hart."_

_"No chance, no way," Trini said._

_"I mean, do you swoon or sigh anytime she appears?" Zack asked._

_Trini thought back to Trini's soft smile after helping her with her homework earlier in the day and let a grin appear on her face as she let out a tiny sigh._

_"Yo, check the grin. You're thinking of Kimberly, aren't you?" Zack teased, which caused Trini to blink and wipe the grin off her face. "You can't even conceal or deny that shit!"_

_"I can't be in love with her," Trini panicked._

_"After that grin, I'm not buying it," Zack said._

_"This is so fucking cliché," Trini said. "Lesbian girl has a crush on her straight friend."_

_"Crush? Crazy Girl, read my fucking lips. You're in love," Zack said as he put his hands on her shoulders._

_Trini shoved him away and said, "You're so fucking off base, it's not even funny. I'm not in love with her. It's just a crush. It needs to be a crush."_

_"You keep on denying hiding how you're feeling. Girl, stop being so proud and admit it," Zack told her._

_"Get off my case," Trini warned. "I'm not in love with her."_

_"Just say it," Zack said._

_Trini growled in frustration and screamed, "I can't!" Trini fell to her knees as tears fell down her cheeks, her walls completely blown open in front of Zack. "I can't go down this road again, Zack," she tearfully admitted as she lowered her head._

_She looked up at Zack, who now knelt in front of her, and without hesitation, Zack embraced her. Trini wrapped her arms around him as she cried, all while he whispered in her ear, "It's okay, Trini."_  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She could not be in love with her.

She could not go down this road again.

Trini had tried to backpedal so hard from the L-Word that she debated ending her friendship with Kimberly, but the very next day, she saw the taller girl staring at her locker, which had curse words and insults on it.

Trini could see the hurt in Kimberly's eyes and felt both anger and heartbreak at the feelings of sadness, self-loathing and reluctant acceptance through their ranger link. And before she could stop herself, Trini marched up and ripped the locker off.

And with that, the door that held that word back was ripped off as well.

From that day and into the future, Trini would never say it out loud to anyone, especially the object of her affections, but she finally accepted her feelings.

And as Trini drifted off, the scent of Kimberly flowing from her temporary pajama shirt, Trini thought, _"Goodnight, Kim. I love you…."_


	7. Come My Way, My Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After helping Trini with a nightmare, Kim finds herself waking up to Trini making breakfast and can’t help but overhear her singing.

It was 5:32 A.M when Kim felt the emotion of terror from Trini go through her ranger link and awakened. She rose out of bed and quickly ran to Trini's room, her body already going through the motion to morph when she opened the door.

It was there that she saw Trini tossing and turning in bed, clearing struggling through a nightmare. Kim let out a sigh of relief, reverted her morphing process, and carefully walked to Trini's bed. "Trini?" Kim whispered, but Trini continued to toss and turn, letting out tiny shrieks of terror.

"Rita…" Trini gasped out as she turned on her side.

Kim's gaze softened, but now she was unsure what to do.

It was apparent that Trini needed help, but how could she help through a nightmare?

So Kim thought back.

When she was little, and she had a nightmare, her mother (When she was around) would often get into bed with her and snuggle with her until her nightmare passed.

Kim flushed at the thought.

Could she do that, though?

She debated for another second, but after a fearful whimper from the sleeping Trini, Kim pushed aside her embarrassment, climbed into Trini's bed, and slowly wrapped her arms around Trini from behind.

"Hey," Kim cooed, albeit hesitantly, into Trini's ear as the shorter girl struggled against her grasp. "It's okay…Rita is not here. I got you. You're safe with me, Trini," Kim told her gently as she held the smaller girl closer.

Trini continued to struggle, which made Kim panic more.

Kim then remembered that her mother would also sing a lullaby along with the cuddle when Kim would have a nightmare.

Kim swore in her head before she took a deep breath.

_"I'm here for you when you're in need. Know you can count on me," Kim sang softly. "It's all alright, no need to cry. But when you do, I'm here."_

She could feel the struggle of the girl begin to lessen in intensity, which made Kim smile and continue with, _"I get, I get, I get, get a feeling. I get, I get, I get, get a dream. And wish we'd stay like this."_

Kim closed her eyes as Trini began to calm down. _"Come my way. Close your eyes; I will guide you. Come close to me. In your dreams, I will find you."_

Trini grew still, her panicked panting returning to slow breathing as Kim finished singing with, _"I'll be with you; I'll be with you, my love…. And I'll stay here beside you. So come my way…."_

Kim could feel the sweat from Trini's drenched shirt against her chest as Trini returned to a peaceful slumber, and she smiled. Had it been anyone else, she would have been irked. But it was Trini, the one person that helped the hot mess that was her daily.

Even with these confusing feelings, Kim couldn't allow herself to stand by and let Trini suffer.

But as she laid there, Kim blushed as she felt realized that somewhere in the struggle, Trini's shirt had bunched up, and her arms were wrapped around her bare stomach, where she could feel the beginnings of abs on the girl.

It was there Kim also realized that since Trini's shirt was bunched up and that Kim pulled her close, she could feel Trini's panties against her silky pajama shorts.

"Oh no," Kim whispered as she rested her head against Trini's shoulder, inadvertently inhaling Trini's scent, which made her let out a shaky breath.

Why did her scent send the butterflies in her stomach into panic mode?

Kim looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 5:45 A.M and sighed before she shut her eyes.

How was she supposed to go to sleep now?

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 7: 22 A.M when the combination of smelling food and the sound of music woke Kim up.

Kim opened her eyes and realized that Trini was missing from her side. Since she was smelling food cooking and could hear music downstairs, Kim knew Trini was down in the kitchen. Kim rolled out of bed with a yawn and walked out of her room and down the stairs.

But as she descended to the first floor, she could hear Trini's voice singing with the song.

_"To feel the breath upon my ear.  
Wanting you  
To just be near  
(To feel your breath upon my ear)  
Wishing you would call my name  
'Cause only you can light the flame."_

Kim paused on the stairs, the flutter of butterfly wings flare-up in her stomach at the sound.

_"Constantly searching - still can't find  
Ever elusive - peace of mind  
Sometimes it's near - but slips away  
And I'm faced with another day."_

Trini was an excellent singer. While her tone of voice was slightly higher than Kim's, she could still hit those lower notes while still sounding natural and not forced.

_"Oh  
Wanting you  
(To feel your breath upon my ear)  
To just be near  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

Kim carefully walked down the steps and saw Trini at the stove, the scent of bacon and eggs filling her nose as Trini slowly swayed to the beat of the music.

_"Wishing you  
(To feel the breath upon My ear)  
Would call my name  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

Kim felt entranced as she watched Trini movements. They seemed so natural. Like this was her zone and she had only seen Trini in her zone during combat.

But this was a different beast.

_"Wanting you  
(To feel your brеath upon my ear)  
To just be nеar  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

Kim felt her body burn at how seductive Trini sounded while singing this song and how alluring her movements were as she sang and cooked in front of the stove.

Did Trini know she was down here?

_"Wishing you  
(To feel your brеath upon my ear)  
Would call my name  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

And if she did, did she know how tortured Kim felt?

_"Desperately wanting - just to sleep  
But there's no rest when - my soul you keep  
And I cry out - oh Lord, I pray  
Don't make me face another day."_

Kim narrowed her eyes at the lyrics of the song. Despite its funky, smooth sound and the seductive lyrics, there was a sadness in this that she didn't expect to hear.

But then Kim narrowed her eyes. The lyrics that Trini sang, "But there's no rest when - my soul you keep." Was that meant to be a reference to Rita, or was it meant for someone else?

_"Wanting you  
(To feel your breath upon my ear)  
To just be near  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

Kim couldn't help but let out a small growl at the thought of anything regarding Rita and Trini.

But her brief anger melted away as she watched Trini finish placing the food onto the plate, still singing as she turned around and grin at her. "About time you woke up," Trini said with a dimple-revealing grin that made Kim's heart skip a beat.

_"Wishing you  
(To feel the breath upon My ear)  
Would call my name  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

"I-I didn't know you cooked," Kim stammered out before clearing her throat to add, "It smells divine."

"Of course I cook. My mom made her mission to pass down her recipes so that I could make it for my _husband_ ," Trini said with a roll of her eyes, but then, she grinned once again. "Like my singing?" Trini asked.

"A lot," Kim admitted before she shut her mouth with a deep blush on her face. 

But the laugh from Trini made it all worth it.

_"Wanting you  
(To feel your breath upon my ear)  
To just be near  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

"Once again, my mom," Trini told her. "She wanted me to be a singer and made me do singing lessons instead of my martial arts. Sucks for me because I actually like to sing now."

"Looks like she won that round," Kim teased, which made Trini stick her tongue out at her.

Kim flushed.

Why did this shorty have to be so attractive to her?!

" Well, anyway, I hope you don't mind, but I figured I'd thank you for letting me stay over by cooking you breakfast," Trini explained as she walked over to the table and sat a plate down.

Trini was no longer singing the song, but the song kept playing in the background as Kim walked over to the table.

_"Wishing you  
(To feel your breath upon my ear)  
Would call my name  
'Cause only you can light the flame  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

"But this is a one-time deal, and if you tell anyone, I'll murder you," Trini said, her tone serious, but Kim could see the twinkle in her eye which told her she was teasing.

"T-Thank you," Kim said with a bashful expression.

_"Wishing you  
(To feel the breath upon My ear)  
Would call my name  
('Cause only you can light the flame)"_

"Yeah, yeah," Trini said before she made her way towards the stairs.

"Wait!" Kim exclaimed, which caused Trini to turn around, the song fading away while repeating the main chorus in the background. "Aren't you going to eat?" Kim asked.

"Me? I already ate. I figured since the rain let up. I'd go take a quick shower then go for a jog," Trini explained.

"You sure? I'd be mighty lonely without you," Kim told her, only to scream within her head.

Why in the hell did she say that?

Trini raised an eyebrow at her before she chuckled. "Do you want me to stay?" Trini asked.

Kim felt like she was on the stand for murder at that question.

While her heart was screaming at her, "Do it, you moron!" her brain was telling her, "Calm it down, Kim. Don't look too desperate for her company."

After what felt like a decade, Kim suggested, "Why don't you go take your shower, and when I'm done, we can go for a jog together. That sound good?"

"Coolio," Trini replied before she cracked a grin. "You better eat before your food gets cold. I'll be done soon."

Kim nodded and turned to dig into her food, but without warning, she felt a pair of lips touch her cheek.

Kim froze at the contact as her face heated up.

"That's for helping me out earlier. Thanks, Kim," Trini whispered in her ear before she walked away, leaving Kim sitting at the table alone.

But while she sat there, she felt the flames of the torch she carried for Trini flare-up.

That little peck and the goofy smile on her face told Kim exactly what her feelings were for Trini. She was crushing hard on the tiny terror.

And unlike last night, where her scent was enough, Kim now knew that it wouldn't be enough tonight.

Kim groaned due to wanting more of the shorter girl and the precariousness of the situation she was in.

What in the hell was she going to do about this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a short one due to the small writer's block I had but the next chapter should be a little longer. I hope everyone enjoyed.


End file.
